Timbers Tid Bits: Home Opener Edition

by Geoff Gibson on Jun 9, 2011 8:21 AM PDT

Not for us, mind you, but another grand MLS stadium is opening up today! I know it might seem a little odd to be reading about another team's stadium, but really, this is great for the league. Sporting Kansas City has long been though of as an under-performing club in both attendance and general ambition. This stadium will hopefully light a spark in an otherwise ripe market. Also, their stadium is gorgeous. It lacks the old world charm of Jeld-Wen, but makes up for it in some neat technological doo-dads.

Anyway, so let this stand as my congratulations to Sporting Kansas City fans and the guys at The Daily Wiz, SB Nation's Sporting KC blog. Good luck tonight against Chicago!

Here's the day's news!

Timbers specific news

Timbers’ improvement is a work in progress
Portland's winning formula has largely been broken down. Not a huge surprise that other MLS teams were watching and adapting as needed.

With opener in past, Timbers turn attention again to Rapids
I'll be doing some scouting reports today! Stay tuned!

Young players a key to Portland Timbers' playoff hopes
On one hand it's almost unfortunate the Timbers are in the Western Conference given the higher competitiveness.

Notes From Cascadia: Portland Timbers Come Back Down to Earth
Was there a trend this week I was unaware of?

More ups and downs?
Another "can Portland rebound?" article.

League news (after the jump)

Climbing the Ladder: Successful stadium openers
Big game for Sporting Kansas City tonight and one that they need to win.

Queens Hosts Ecuador-Greece Friendly, MLS Next?
Looks like Queens can pull in a decent soccer crowd, but will they actually support an MLS team?

MLS suspends, fines Crew's Williams for testing positive for banned substance
Player suspended 10 games, docked part of salary for use of performance-enhancer.

St. Louis has fallen off MLS radar
Major League Soccer coming to St. Louis is not on the horizon.

The Green, Green Sod of Home
United States players and coaches complained about the temporary grass field installed at Ford Field in Detroit for Tuesday night's Concacaf Gold Cup match against Canada.

Soccer palace in KC set to open
Hard to imagine it was just a few years ago that there were very serious discussions about moving the team elsewhere.

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Comments

Where are people watching the SKC game tonight? (If you are watching.)

by pecorasc on Jun 9, 2011 10:30 AM PDT reply actions

Illicitly streamed internet, on my laptop, at home.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Jun 9, 2011 11:45 AM PDT up reply actions

Nevermind

it was on Espn3. I have Comcast which allows me to stream it online even though I have the Economy tier of cable.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Jun 10, 2011 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Timbers Joey

made the picture section in this months FourFourTwo. I thought it was pretty cool seeing as FFT is a British publication.

Oderint Dum Metuant

by WhiteRabbit on Jun 9, 2011 11:46 AM PDT reply actions

Know of anyplace that has a pic?

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Jun 9, 2011 8:59 PM PDT up reply actions

couldn't find it anyplace saddly

Oderint Dum Metuant

by WhiteRabbit on Jun 10, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions

You live in/near Portland, right?

I’m pretty sure Powell’s sells FourFourTwo, at least they used to when I first moved here in 2003.

by pdb on Jun 10, 2011 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't think Salem has a real Barns & Noble.

Borders is defunct.

Jag kom, jag såg, erövrade jag.

by Kejsare on Jun 10, 2011 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions

This is why I said Powell's and not Barnes & Noble or Borders

Next time you’re in Portland, head to Powell’s – it’s right down the street from JWP! – and check that they have it.

by pdb on Jun 11, 2011 8:32 AM PDT up reply actions

Glad to see it finially opening

I feel for KC having so many away games this year.

Plus it is true… it is good for the league. I had a freind over to watch a sounders game last year and it was the away KC game. It was embarrasing to see! It seriously looked like a HS stadium. What few people I saw were sitting picknic style behind the endzone which was just a grassy hill with no seats. Total joke!

Scoreboards, not billboards.
Regular season, not pre-season.

by lysander on Jun 9, 2011 12:07 PM PDT reply actions

Queens Hosts Ecuador-Greece Friendly, MLS Next?

I am guessing it will do better than Detroit did after a similar article. Particularly because of the large greek population living in queens. Then again I would have thought the high population of americans and canadians in the detroit area would have come out for that game!

Scoreboards, not billboards.
Regular season, not pre-season.

by lysander on Jun 9, 2011 12:10 PM PDT reply actions